I can’t believe I’m playing for my hometown club at Wembley in front of my wife and my kids with millions watching

Dean Windass

Windass’ life-story is the talk of Humberside and has earned the Hull-born striker a small fortune.

But now he has set his sights on hitting an even bigger jackpot by firing the Tigers to victory over Bristol City in today’s Champion-ship play-off final and a place in the Premier League.

Windass was rejected by Hull at the age of 18 by then manager Brian Horton, who is now Phil Brown’s No.2 at the KC Stadium.

He was given a second chance when Horton left, having been forced to work on building sites and a frozen food shop to make ends meet.

After success at Aberdeen, Oxford, Bradford and Middlesbrough, Windass made an emotional return to the Tigers on a free transfer last season at the age of 38.

He scored the goals to keep them up and has continued to defy the odds this season.

His total of 14 has helped Hull get within 90 minutes of a place in the top flight for the first time in their 104-year history.

Windass said: “I’m proud to have come back to this club and scored the goals that helped keep us in this division last season and now … who knows?

“To score the goals that kept us in the Championship was fantastic and now this has capped it all off. My wife and kids will be at Wembley and I’ll give everything. If anyone had said when I came back that now I’d be playing in the play-off final for a place in the Premier League, I would have laughed in their face.

“It is great that Brian Horton’s here, too. I’ll be very proud to walk out with Brian.

Windass has never played at Wembley but left in tears as a youngster after watching Hull FC lose to Hull KR in the rugby league Challenge Cup final in 1981. This time, though, he intends to leave smiling. He said: “Please God, there’s not a repeat of 1981!

“If you put the hours in and do things right, you’ll always get your rewards and this for me is a massive reward.

“I can’t believe I’m playing for my hometown club at Wembley in front of my wife and my kids with millions watching.

“I’m fortunate to be a supporter and a player as well, so I know what it means to everyone.

“When I was on the building site and at Birds Eye it was tough, but I always believed I was good enough.

“I thought ‘please someone just give me a chance’ and I was given that chance.

“I worked out that nothing was given to me on a plate and I’ve worked hard every day of my life.

“Now here I am reaping my rewards, playing for Hull City at Wembley in the last game of the season.

“This is my story. You make your choices in life. I’m running out at Wembley. It will be the proudest day of my life.”